graveyard part 4

[gamehead]

hunter's game the graveyard You wake up in an unfamiliar cabin. At first, it almost seems like you're in an entirely different place and that everything had been just a dream. The interior of the cabin looks nothing like the run-down, old-timey shacks that you had been living in before. Everything in here is sleek and modern, from the enormous flat-screen TV mounted on the wall to the fridge and mini-bars stocked with all your favorite foods. There aren't any individual rooms in here, just a common area large enough to house everyone comfortably, no matter how many more people join you...and there will be plenty more people joining you before the week is over. Because if you look outside the window, it quickly becomes clear that not only are you still in Prayer's Pass, but that you are no longer among the realm of the living. Judging from the tombstones directly outside, you're now in what had been the abandoned broken-down cabin in the graveyard. The cabin's not all that changed; the world outside has gone completely grey and everything you see appears to be faded and blurry. The only things that remain sharp and in color are what's inside the cabin, including your fellow ghosts. Occasionally, people who are still alive may enter, but it's clear that what they're seeing is completely different from what you're seeing. The door's unlocked; however, a mysterious force prevents you from stepping beyond the threshold, no matter how hard you may try. After all, this cabin is a cage for the dead - a gilded one, perhaps, but a cage nonetheless. On the flat-screen TV plays everything that is currently happening in the town. It will shut off once night starts...and something else will appear instead.

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[speakveryclearly]

Oh, no, he's not gone, unfortunately, he just stopped eating pies. And there are two more besides us four but they live on in the realm of the dead, which is somewhat tangible like this one. Ordinary ghosts can't leave; they're not dead so they can, and just don't want to.

We played a different sort of game. And lost - or rather won but human error meant we lost. The original dozen troll team that had survived the apocalypse didn't take the whole thing very well.

Do you really think we'll be able to play another...

Game, after this?

[encored]

Is that an unfortunate thing? He was a messy eater, I'd think you might be happy for it. He spent a day giving them away on the sidewalk once and still spilled most things on himself. [#weird mayfield stories]

Ah. [a quiet, thoughtful pause.] That's quite a large error to make if you triggered the apocalypse with it. I'm uncertain as to whether or not you ought to be grateful to escape that place. I understand a little if you are, you know, but I've been away from home for a long time and I'm a bit exhausted. As far as games go, there's a high chance of that happening, yes. Perhaps not here, but I've come to realize that the string of multiverses around us exist solely to make us miserable.

[speakveryclearly]

It was a despicable habit, but they were a psychotropic depressant/anti-psychotic. Never meant to be ingested, only used topically... and so when the great undoing occurred, he went into severe withdrawal and became responsible for half of the losses I've implied.

To be honest... I've had better companionship here - from you, Ciel, Kyouko, Sayaka, I won't say something inane like "everyone" but quite a few people - than I had remaining to me at home by now. I've literally outlived my usefulness there. I don't care about whether I personally can get home or come back to life at this point. What's going on here... is the only thing that still matters very much to me.

[encored]

[gives her a bit of a flat, almost pitying look.] That had to be quite embarrassing to the rest of you. [being undone by a pie-less clown...

as for her admission, he looks quietly surprised for a second, but that's a sentiment he can also understand. hadn't his closest friends come from similar situations? the trials were difficult and he fell more often than he can count, but... well, his bonds with Ciel and even Joshua are a testament to how much these places can do.] —Then you'll be right at home if you also find yourself in another after this, won't you? With luck you may even remember this so you won't be as frantic. [so you won't forget your friends.]

[speakveryclearly]

It was. [He understands... he understands so well.]

I certainly will. I must admit I hope I do remember if it does happen to me - that'll make it easier to deal with the endless confusion of different dimensions, and people who don't know what sylladices are, and abrupt departures. As awful as most of these memories are, it'd be much worse forgetting.

[encored]

[pats her arm... small tragedies of the homestuck variety]

Forgetting would certainly be worse. Then you would have complete strangers coming up to you knowing your deepest secrets and what you had for breakfast on a day you don't even remember. Isn't that eerie? [SHUDDERS. thankfully he's never been on the receiving end of that.]

[speakveryclearly]

Eerie indeed. But... if even some of us could go on to the next realm together with our bonds intact that would have been nice... After all, if there are as many similarities as you say between these sorts of circumstances then I'd be going in assuming I'm alone again otherwise.

[encored]

It may well happen. Or you could find yourself in a situation where you arrive in a new place with your memories in tact and find people you've met here again only to discover that they recall something entirely different. A different situation, a different Kanaya or perhaps not one at all. It's all up to chance, you know? [and he won't bother reiterating his own pessimistic opinions on what "chance" can do for a person.

he opens his mouth to say something else but his attention is drawn back to the screen since Touko's busy cursing him and slapping his only allies left TOUKO PLS...] —My, there's some spirit. It's a shame she didn't grow a backbone until four out of five people in the game were already dead.

[speakveryclearly]

The real shame is that Clara never did and at this rate never will. Without any of us around she's regressed right into the insistence that everyone abstain or the equivalent of it. I may not be sure anymore that the prey should win, but I am sure that will never be the answer. All she wants is to not be responsible for anyone dying - and just let a life slip out of her hands anyway. What if it's her own, or her precious doctor's, or Madoka's?

It probably won't be, of course, given the hunters have clearly been ignoring such nonthreats; Holden and Sharon said as much. More likely a stronger soul like Fukawa or Tanaka's is at risk.

[encored]

If the only hunters left are Sharon and Mayu and if they truly aim to solve the mystery rather than win, the shrill girl and hamster child ought to be fine since they're keen on helping. [...] Well, the girl is, at least. [because he honestly has no idea what gundam tanaka is aiming for even twelve days into the game.] It's Beat or Oowada on the chopping block at night if they don't find themselves killed at trial. If everyone agrees to this stupid abstain or self-vote idea though, I wouldn't be surprised if Critter "randomly" selected a hunter out of spite.

[he sighs and leans back where he sits, looking displeased but not surprised.] Anyway, Joshua predicted this outcome on day five. It'll be a bloodbath because the only people left are the Claras of the group and the wolves. Goodness, they all just fell apart as soon as those of us trying to move the game forward took our exits.

[speakveryclearly]

A little line of sheep trooping forward to the slaughter. Watching it is just... sad, really. Assuming Critter doesn't grant another special opportunity, the final clue will be found on the fourteenth day. What will happen if the game lasts longer than that?

Oowada is the biggest risk, and I think he may have been armed. He was pointing out the name you carved into your door: Mayu's. And demanding she be lynched on this basis. His murder by the pack tonight could be construed as self-defensive.

[encored]

Isn't it just? Let's hope they can figure it. There's no guarantee they'll piece things together after that though, and then the wolves will walk away with a clean victory because that other team is full of bleeding hearts and buffoons. Claiming something like "oh, just wait, wait one more day, maybe another clue will appear!" ["that other team" he can't even affiliate himself with it now. he'd put a hand over his face if his hands weren't currently full of sweets...]

—He's armed with a knife, I suppose. I asked him to carve that for me if both Sayaka and myself died as I didn't have the strength to do it. At any rate, that was all just for dramatic flair. It's Beat's note that has the solid evidence for what little good that's done. My plans were all made based on the idea that I'd have to convince the prey who to lynch, not that I'd have to convince them to go after the wolves in general. [WEARY SIGH]

[speakveryclearly]

Oh, I know humans will never stop being infuriating about the whole thing on principle even when their own lives and those of their dear friends are at stake. [PAT ON THE SHOULDER... #INHUMANE PROBLEMS]

During the trial where Syo took Holden hostage, didn't Critter say that sort of weapon wouldn't actually work? So his knife probably can't be used as a weapon to that... point...

[encored]

Humans will be humans, I suppose. [at least someone here understands...]

Oh, no, the knife is useless. Now that the guns are out of the picture, we're going to be stuck here for longer than I had hoped. [THE TRUE TRAGEDY... he truly looks like he's lamenting this extension. screw the time limits okay he still believes they all lost on day one.]

[speakveryclearly]

I'd been assuming that unlocking all the clues meant true third-option victory would become automatic. But if it's contingent on the survivors figuring out the truth, whatever that is...

[Trails

off

considers survivors]

We're fucked, aren't we.

[encored]

[CRACKS UP. he likes you kanaya you can stay]

Right as rain, you are! Every mistake I've made in this game has come from overestimating my opponents, so I won't assume they'll be able to figure it out even if the last clue literally spells out the answer for them. [and then this happens and wow WOW ARE THEY REALLY GONNA DO THIS]

...You know, it may be better that things haven't gone as I planned. The unpredictability makes for a much better show.

[speakveryclearly]

Yes, remember when they almost executed Joshua instead of Bruce because surely they wouldn't have made the mistake of hunting someone who voted for them again, oh no. Both sides are impossible to underestimate is the key lesson here. Maybe that's why Critter thinks it's a good game for humans along with nonhuman accents to play.

[Watching a little more.]

...the doctor is just so self-righteous. I abhor that trait whether it's in a rabbit like him or wolf like Bruce.

[encored]

So we tear our hair out in frustration every time they make a dimwitted move? Truly, Critter is a master of doling out miserable punishments. [...] That must have been quite a difficult trial for you to watch.

[pointing at the Doctor with a half eaten churro] I actually knew him quite well in Mayfield, you know, so I wasn't surprised to see this behavior. It's why I avoided him here; I knew this would be a game he'd play miserably.

[speakveryclearly]

I wish I'd never approached him in the first place but I was taking Ciel's advice. I almost wished I hadn't when I saw you running around trying to figure out whom I would have recognized during the trial. During the trial...

[...

Quieter:]

During the trial, it was before Kyouko had been converted and... and she avenged me after all. I was so proud of that. And I wonder what would have happened instead if I'd lived longer.

[encored]

You have to watch the advice you take from that woman. [bruce said it himself CIEL IS TOO SHADY. even he and joshua were preparing to shoot her for potentially being the convert...]

I wish you had lived longer. You would have understood the importance of figuring out the mystery without allowing the wolves to simply kill the rest of the rabbits off without any struggle. You would have seen the futility of trying to group abstain or self-vote. [a sigh] What we need now is a person who can prioritize without worrying about bloodying their hands and everyone who could fit that role is dead. ...So was it Bruce, then?

[speakveryclearly]

Of course it was Bruce. I fucking voted for him. And for the record [touching the spot on her head where her left horn, the one with the hook, used to be] this was Damian for me "LYING" about Bruce. Sayaka has it now. I trust her with it.

[This topic has gotten her unusually curt and blunt. She skips ahead a little.]

You know what I would have done, if it really got to the point where executing a known hunter isn't what we want? We'd set up a chain - alphabetical, say, so Beat votes for Clara, Clara votes for the Doctor, the Doctor votes for Gundam, and so on - to generate the necessary tie. That way anyone who abstains from this plan is the one who might get punished.

It's got flaws, of course - just like the mass abstention, a noncompliant hunter could also decide the vote instead of a noncooperative prey. That would reveal them for what they are, though. It'd be a way of proving whether or not your goal is only to solve the mystery. It's an idea, anyway. It's not as inane as group abstention. That's just relinquishing responsibility! Clara said HERSELF she wanted to relinquish responsibility!!! I'm so disappointed in her.

[condescent]

[don't mind him cutting in here to join the bitchfest about absolutely everyone]

I still can't believe that none of the hunters voted for me that day. I really can't decide which side came off worse during that trial.

[speakveryclearly]

I suppose they thought it would make themselves look suspicious... it's ironic, though.

[condescent]

They only needed two more votes, and they could have easily lied their way out of it. It's not like anyone suspected the people who voted for me afterwards anyway, and better to take a minor risk to eliminate a prey who's a threat. Their greatest advantage was the fact that they could work as a team and sacrifice each other for the greater victory, and they squandered it worrying about their own individual survivals. [wow he actually sounds kind of bitter about not being executed for some weird reason, probably because being shot would have been way better than being crucified]

[speakveryclearly]

[Joshua Batman got shot because he hates guns, come on, don't be a hater.]

There's a lot of squandering that went on in this game. Ema Skye being the deerhound instead of Rapunzel, for instance...